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RNLI Lifeboat News From Ireland
Lifeboat Rescues 49er Dinghy Crew on Dublin Bay
#rescue – The crew of an Olympic 49er skiff dinghy that capsized off Dun Laoghaire in strong winds this morning has been brought to safety by Dun Laoghaire lifeboat. The two dinghy sailors got into difficulties in strong winds on…
Portrush Lifeboat Gets Identified
#rnli –  Thanks to the generosity of local man Willie Gregg, Portrush Lifeboat has now been fitted with and Automatic Identification System (AIS). The AIS is an automatic tracking system used on ships to enable them to be identified and…
RNLI Gallantry Medal Comes Home
#portrush – Tim Nelson's interest in all things connected with the RNLI has paid dividends in relation to the return of a silver gallantry medal presented to a local man for saving the life of a boy in Portrush in…
Lifeboat Crews Tow Vessel From Rocks Off Waterford
#Lifeboats - TheJournal.ie reports that RNLI lifeboat crews from Dunmore East and Fethard rescued two fishermen from their vessel off the Waterford coast yesterday (14 January 2013). Rescuers sped to the scene after the 10-metre fishing boat got into difficulty…
Suspected Engine Fire Leads to Yacht Rescue off Dun Laoghaire
#RNLI – Lifeboats at Dun Laoghaire were called out yesterday following a distress call from a yacht with a suspected fire on board. The incident took place shortly after mid-day while a second call for a kitesurfer in difficulty was…
Sea Trials Won't Weather New Shannon Class Lifeboat
#Lifeboats - The video above shows off a prototype of the RNLI's new lifeboat class, the Shannon, as it undergoes sea trials to determine how it handles the rough weather all too common to the seas around the UK and…
Lough Ree Locals Praise New RNLI Lifeboat Station
#Lifeboats - RTÉ News has a video report on a memorial to lives lost on the Shannon recently installed at the location of Lough Ree's new lifeboat station. Relatives of those lost to the waterway spoke of their appreciation for…
Fishermen Rescued off Hook Head, County Waterford
#rnli – Lifeboat crew from Dunmore East and Fethard RNLI were involved in the rescue of four fishermen whose vessel got into difficulty in county Waterford early this morning. Shortly after 8am, volunteer lifeboat crew from Dunmore East and Fethard…
Howth Family Dedication to RNLI Lifeboat Service
#rnli – One Howth family gives 142 years dedicated service to saving lives with the RNLI. As a charity, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) depends on the selfless dedication of volunteers, like the Duffys of Howth, to risk their…
Belfast Lough RNLI Honoured with Diamond Jubilee Medals
#lifeboat – A combined total of 360 years service to the Royal national Lifeboat Institution by twenty members of the Bangor Lifeboat Station was recognised at a presentation of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medals at the Royal Ulster Yacht Club.…
Wexford Lifeboat Rescue Woman & 'Holly' the Dog From Harbour
#rnli –  A 29–year–old woman and her dog were rescued by Courtown RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew from the water at Courtown Harbour last night (Monday 17 December) after a twenty minute ordeal in freezing conditions. The local woman went to…
Santa Arrives in Wicklow on a Lifeboat
#santa – Plenty of festive cheer at Wicklow RNLI Lifeboat Station this afternnon with the arrival of Father Christmas for his annual visit. Many of the crew's children gathered on the East pier to greet Santa as he arrived on…
ESB Retiree Donates Gift Money to Bundoran RNLI
#RNLI - After 43 years working with the ESB, a Co Donegal man has donated €700 – money in lieu of retirement presents – to Bundoran RNLI. Ballyshannon’s Brendan 'Mannix' Gallagher held his retirement party last Friday 30 November at…
TV3 Christmas Special to Feature 'Unsung Heroes' of Arklow RNLI
#RNLI - Volunteers from Arklow RNLI in Co Wicklow are to feature in a Christmas special to be broadcast on TV3. The documentary, Unsung Heroes, will highlight the efforts of those who provide the essential rescue service throughout the year,…
Donaghdee RNLI Comes To Aid of Drifting Fishing Boat
#RNLI - Donaghadee RNLI has assisted two people whose boat got into difficulty off Co Down. The station’s volunteer lifeboat crew was out on a training exercise on Sunday morning when they were requested to go to the aid of…
Lough Swilly RNLI Rescues Crew From Stricken Fishing Boat
#RNLI - Lough Swilly RNLI rescued five people onboard a 50ft fishing boat yesterday evening (Sunday 2 December) after the vessel’s engine broke down in Co Donegal. During what was a nine-hour callout in tough weather conditions, Portrush RNLI also…

Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) in Ireland Information

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is a charity to save lives at sea in the waters of UK and Ireland. Funded principally by legacies and donations, the RNLI operates a fleet of lifeboats, crewed by volunteers, based at a range of coastal and inland waters stations. Working closely with UK and Ireland Coastguards, RNLI crews are available to launch at short notice to assist people and vessels in difficulties.

RNLI was founded in 1824 and is based in Poole, Dorset. The organisation raised €210m in funds in 2019, spending €200m on lifesaving activities and water safety education. RNLI also provides a beach lifeguard service in the UK and has recently developed an International drowning prevention strategy, partnering with other organisations and governments to make drowning prevention a global priority.

Irish Lifeboat Stations

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland, with an operational base in Swords, Co Dublin. Irish RNLI crews are tasked through a paging system instigated by the Irish Coast Guard which can task a range of rescue resources depending on the nature of the emergency.

Famous Irish Lifeboat Rescues

Irish Lifeboats have participated in many rescues, perhaps the most famous of which was the rescue of the crew of the Daunt Rock lightship off Cork Harbour by the Ballycotton lifeboat in 1936. Spending almost 50 hours at sea, the lifeboat stood by the drifting lightship until the proximity to the Daunt Rock forced the coxswain to get alongside and successfully rescue the lightship's crew.

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895.

FAQs

While the number of callouts to lifeboat stations varies from year to year, Howth Lifeboat station has aggregated more 'shouts' in recent years than other stations, averaging just over 60 a year.

Stations with an offshore lifeboat have a full-time mechanic, while some have a full-time coxswain. However, most lifeboat crews are volunteers.

There are 46 lifeboat stations on the island of Ireland

32 Irish lifeboat crew have been lost in rescue missions, including the 15 crew of the Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire) lifeboat which capsized while attempting to rescue the crew of the SS Palme on Christmas Eve 1895

In 2019, 8,941 lifeboat launches saved 342 lives across the RNLI fleet.

The Irish fleet is a mixture of inshore and all-weather (offshore) craft. The offshore lifeboats, which range from 17m to 12m in length are either moored afloat, launched down a slipway or are towed into the sea on a trailer and launched. The inshore boats are either rigid or non-rigid inflatables.

The Irish Coast Guard in the Republic of Ireland or the UK Coastguard in Northern Ireland task lifeboats when an emergency call is received, through any of the recognised systems. These include 999/112 phone calls, Mayday/PanPan calls on VHF, a signal from an emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) or distress signals.

The Irish Coast Guard is the government agency responsible for the response to, and co-ordination of, maritime accidents which require search and rescue operations. To carry out their task the Coast Guard calls on their own resources – Coast Guard units manned by volunteers and contracted helicopters, as well as "declared resources" - RNLI lifeboats and crews. While lifeboats conduct the operation, the coordination is provided by the Coast Guard.

A lifeboat coxswain (pronounced cox'n) is the skipper or master of the lifeboat.

RNLI Lifeboat crews are required to follow a particular development plan that covers a pre-agreed range of skills necessary to complete particular tasks. These skills and tasks form part of the competence-based training that is delivered both locally and at the RNLI's Lifeboat College in Poole, Dorset

 

While the RNLI is dependent on donations and legacies for funding, they also need volunteer crew and fund-raisers.

© Afloat 2020